QUALITY,
THAT GROWS

Tobacco is the raw material we are passionate about. We primarily import it from the best growing areas in North America, Zimbabwe and Europe. We have our own experienced tobacco specialists on site to select and purchase of the tobaccos. As certified experts, they inspect the goods, take samples and after all that only accept the best quality.

Our quality- and production process

1

The raw tobacco

The dried and fermented tobacco leaves are well protected on their way to our warehouse – and are ready for gentle processing on arrival.

2

Blending

Tobacco is a natural product that is marked by its diversity of flavours, which can vary from harvest to harvest. To achieve the flavour typical for a Landewyck brand, different tobaccos are mixed into a "blend". This ensures the consistent taste of a brand over years.

3

The conditioning drum

In the conditioning drum, the blocks of raw tobacco cut in the sclicer are loosened by adding water and steam and directly conditioned to contain the optimal cutting moisture of about 21%.

4

The mixing box

The tobacco is introduced into the mixing box horizontally and taken out again vertically after several hours. This ensures an optimal mix of the various kinds of tobacco.

5

Cutting

The blend of raw tobacco for cigarettes is cut with a cutting width of 0.8-1 mm. In the drying drum, the cut tobacco is dried to a final moisture content of about 12-13%. The tobacco is then ready for further processing.

6

The cigarette

The tobacco fibers are vacuumed from the interim storage container, shaped into an uniform strand which is then placed on a strip of paper with filter pieces. This creates a kind of endless cigarette, which is then cut into individual cigarettes.

Virginia tobacco

This tobacco is named after the US state of Virginia, where it was first cultivated. Because of its orange-yellow colour, which it acquires through the hot-air drying process, it is also called "bright tobacco". Subtropical regions with little rainfall, such as the U.S. state of Georgia, Zimbabwe or the south of Brazil, are ideal for its cultivation.

The drying in hot air renders the product dry and easy to handle. It also reduces the risk of mold and promotes the chemical changes that improve the sensory qualities of the product. Virginia tobacco has a nicotine content of 1% to 3.5%, and low natural sugar levels of 5% to 25%.

The characteristic flavour is natural and aromatic

Virginia blends only contain Virginia tobacco which was dried in hot air. No flavor enhancers and artificial flavours are added. This tobacco is preferred in Canada and the UK. American blends also contain Virginia tobacco, but to a lesser degree, which can fall as low as 30%.